Tag: petrol

Ring unveils ULTRASTART + AIR – a compact jump starter and inflator

Renowned auto accessory giant, Ring Automotive, has long been dedicated to providing the aftermarket with new and exciting products, and one of its first of 2026 is the ULTRASTART + AIR!

This new product is a powerful, multi‑functional emergency tool combining a jump starter and tyre inflator in one compact unit.

Similar to other products in its portfoilio, this new product from Ring is not limited to being just one piece of equipment, but multiple. The ULTRASTART + AIR is a jump starter, tyre inflator, as well as an LED light and powerbank to ensure the user has everything available to them in an emergency. It is also a compact item that can easily be stored in the glove compartment or anywhere in the vehicle if necessary.

For the jump starter aspect of the tool, its comes with two smart clamps that offer reverse polarity protection and also has a boost function for starting dead batteries. In addition, the ULTRASTART + AIR has integrated hose storage for the tyre inflator element and a storage bag that will hold all of the extra accessories it comes with.

In terms of the engines it can assist with, it’s suitable for up to a six litre petrol and three litre diesel engine. It has a clear display, is easy to use and has an ergonomic body, so is comfortable to hold.

Marketing Director, Henry Bisson, commented: “We are regularly conducting market research on what would be the most helpful to technicians as well as drivers, which is where the ULTRASTART + AIR has come from. Having one piece of equipment that can solve a variety of problems is convenient for all and so, very popular, which is why more of the tools we’re introducing to the market are multi functional.

“The ULTRASTART + AIR is a very powerful tool and due to its suitability for many vehicles, we anticipate this being one of our bestsellers.”

RRP: £100

Drivers of electric vehicles more likely to be at fault in road traffic crashes than drivers of petrol and diesel cars

Drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) are more likely to be involved in at-fault road traffic accidents than drivers of petrol and diesel cars, a study by researchers at Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, and University of Limerick reveals.

In a paper to be published in November in the journal Accident Analysis & Prevention, the Lero researchers analysed insurance claims and data from onboard sensors and revealed a number of key findings:

  • Electric and hybrid drivers exhibit different behaviours than drivers of traditional vehicles.
  • Electric vehicles record more at-fault claims than traditional vehicles.
  • Electric vehicles are 6.7% more expensive to repair than traditional vehicles.

Lero researcher and co-director of the Centre of Emerging Risk Studies the Kemmy Business School, Dr Barry Sheehan, said EV drivers have a higher chance of experiencing an at-fault claim than drivers of cars with internal combustion engines (ICE).

“Our research finds that despite their lower average mileage than internal combustion engines, lower road exposure for EV drivers does not reduce their risk of experiencing an at-fault insurance claim. When analysing at-fault claims, we find a 4 % increase in crashes from EVs and a 6 % increase for hybrids (HYBs) compared to internal combustion engines.

“However, when tested with statistical models, hybrids do not display any further concerns of increased at-fault claim risk. These results indicate that EVs have a higher risk profile than traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

“Our research shows drivers’ driving behaviour changes significantly when switching to hybrids or EVs. These results mean EVs are more likely to experience an at-fault claim than internal combustion engines,” added Dr Sheehan, Associate Professor in Risk and Finance at UL.

Lero researcher and lead author Kevin McDonnell said their analysis of each fuel type shows that EVs and hybrids have lower average mileages than internal combustion engines.

“This suggests that internal combustion engines should have a higher probability of incurring an at-fault claim than alternate energy fuel-type vehicles. However, the claims data contradicts this assumption by providing evidence of increased at-fault claim occurrences in EVs through predictive modelling and risk analysis,” he added.

Lero’s Professor Finbarr Murphy, Executive Dean of the Kemmy Business School at UL and co-author said that, given the increased likelihood of incurring an at-fault insurance claim with less mileage, significant first-party damages, and battery costs, alternative energy vehicles are riskier and have a higher financial burden than petrol and diesel cars.

The study used telematic data from 125 million commercial fleet vehicle trips involving 14,642 vehicles recorded from January 2022 to October 2022 in the Netherlands. It also used an insurance claims dataset during the same period.

Lero, the Research Ireland Centre for Software, is based at University of Limerick and funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland, formerly Science Foundation Ireland. 

The paper is co-authored by Lero and UL’s Kevin McDonnell, Dr Barry Sheehan and Professor Finbarr Murphy as well as Professor Montserrat Guillen of Universitat de Barcelona and is available to read in full at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457524003063?via%3Dihub